Home based businesses optimisic during credit crunch

The allure of running a business from home is either attracting more optimistic people than the rest of the business community, or there’s something to be said for the care that goes into running your own ship during tough times. According to a new survey from RSA Insurance, just under three quarters of businesses based at home said that despite the economic downturn, they believed their business would grow over the next year. Only 8% said that they didn’t think they’d be able to grow or maintain their current level of business.

This week’s news that the UK’s economy is most likely going to suffer even more than the rest of Europe is one thing, but Aaron Devitt, director of professional and financial risks at RSA, said: ‘Clearly, in at least one area of the economy, there are reasons for remaining optimistic about future growth.’

Survey participants listed the top three benefits of working from home as ‘being your own boss’, ‘being able to offer clients a flexible service’ and ‘greater job satisfaction.’ Many also said that the very fact clients knew they were speaking to the owner-manager meant that the clients knew the business was important to the owner of the firm, which is good news for the company in the long run.

About Emma Jones

Emma Jones is Founder and Editor of Enterprise Nation, the home business website. She has successfully started two businesses from home offices in London, Manchester and rural Shropshire.
Following a career with an international accountancy firm, Emma started her first home based business at the age of 27 and successfully sold it just 15 months after launch.
Redbrick Enterprises Ltd was founded in 2002 to advise the public sector on effective homeworking. Spotting a gap in the market to provide information and inspiration to homeworkers, Emma launched Enterprise Nation [www.enterprisenation.com], the home business website, in January 2006.
The website is a free resource for people starting and growing a business at home and has a readership of more than 390,000 people. As well as site content, there is also a free fortnightly e-newsletter and podcast.
Emma’s first book on how to start a business from home Spare Room Start Up: How to Start a Business from Home will be published by Harriman House in May 2008.